Apparatus for water purification by culturing and harvesting attached algal communities

A floway for cleansing the water of a waterway containing nutrients and other pollutants, utilizing growing attached algal turf, said floway utilizing at least two elongate curbs spaced apart in a parallel relationship,

• each of said curbs having a base portion and an upper portion, with the base portion substantially larger than the upper portion of each curb, thus as to provide good load bearing capabilities,
• a growing surface for algae disposed between said curbs, on which growing surface, selected algae are caused to grow and form an algal turf,
• said growing surface being placed in close contact with said base portion of each of said curbs,
• a mobile harvester device for removing mature algal turf containing nutrients and pollutants assimilated and trapped by the algal turf, said harvester being of a width commensurate with the spacing of the upper portions of said curbs, so as to be supported therefrom,
• power means supplying power to said harvester, said harvester having propulsion means for causing it to move at a desired rate and in a bidirectional manner along said curbs, said harvester also containing a vacuum pickup system,
• said vacuum pickup system including an intake plenum means positioned to move closely adjacent algal turf after the turf has been substantially dewatered, said vacuum pickup system also including a separator for separating air from the harvested algal turf, and
• a harvest transfer system enabling the harvested algal turf to be transferred from said separator to a place of collection, without permitting any of the algal turf to reenter the waterway.

A floway for cleansing the water of a waterway containing nutrients and other pollutants, utilizing growing attached algal turf, said floway utilizing at least two elongate grade beams spaced apart in a parallel relationship,

• a growing surface for algae disposed between said curbs, on which growing surface, selected algae are caused to grow and form an algal turf,
• means for diverting water from the waterway, so as on occasion to cause it to flow through said floway, and in other instances, for shutting off the flow of water through the waterway,
• a mobile harvester device for removing mature algal turf containing pollutants and nutrients assimilated and trapped by the algal turf, said harvester being of a width commensurate with the spacing of said beams, so as to be supported therefrom,
• power means supplying power to said harvester, said harvester having propulsion means for causing it to move at a desired rate and in a bidirectional manner along said beams, said harvester also containing a vacuum pickup system,
• said vacuum system including a downwardly oriented intake plenum means mounted on said harvester at a location close to the algal turf, so that after the turf has been substantially dewatered by shutting off the flow of water through the floway, said intake plenum means can take up contacted algae, said intake plenum means connected by ducting to a separator,
• said separator serving to separate air from the harvested algal turf, and a harvest transfer system enabling the harvested algal turf to be transferred from said separator to a place of collection,
• said power means providing power for the operation of said vacuum system and said algal turf harvest transfer system,
• whereby as said harvester is caused to move along said beams, the functioning of said intake plenum means and said vacuum pickup system serve to harvest selected portions of the algal turf from the floway, and to deliver such harvested algal turf to said separator,
• said algal turf harvest transfer system serving to remove the collected algae from the bottom of the separator, and to transfer such algal turf to a place of collection, without permitting any of the algal turf to reenter the waterway.

An algal farm established for the purification of the water of a waterway by natural means, said farm having at least one floway defined by a pair of elongate curbs disposed in a substantially parallel, spaced apart relationship and defining an inlet end as well as an outlet end,

• each of said curbs having a base portion and an upper portion, with the base portion substantially larger than the upper portion of each curb, thus to provide grade beam stability in low soil capacity sites,
• means for diverting water from the waterway, so as on occasion to cause it to enter said inlet end of said floway, and to exit from the outlet end,
• means defining a growing surface for algae disposed between said curbs, on which growing surface, selected algae are caused to grow and form an algal turf able to bring about bioassimilation of nutrients and pollutants, as well as the physical trapping of particulates contained in water caused to flow over the algal turf,
• water diverted from the waterway from a waterway, and causing it to enter said inlet end of said flowing the length of said floway, in close contact with the algal turf growing on said growing surface, with the water thus purified then returning via said outlet end of said floway to the waterway,
• and a wheeled harvester spanning said floway, with its wheels in contact with, and supported by, said curbs,
• means for shutting off the flow of water entering the inlet end of said floway on occasion, so as to bring about a dewatering of the algae,
• intake plenum means supported on a lower portion of said harvester, so as to be in close contact with dewatered algae,
• said intake plenum means being connected to a source of vacuum, whereby mature algae can be harvested from said growing surface, as said harvester moves along said floway.

An algal farm established for the purification of flowing water and the generation of an algal turf, such purification being accomplished by natural means,

• said farm having at least one floway,
• each floway being defined by a pair of elongate curbs disposed in a substantially parallel, spaced apart relationship, and having an inlet end as well as an outlet end;
• a growing surface for algae disposed between said curbs, on which growing surface, selected algae are caused to grow and form an algal turf;
• means for diverting water from a waterway, and causing it to enter said inlet end of said floway, such water then flowing the length of said floway under the influence of gravity, in close contact with the algal turf growing on said growing surface, such that nutrients and pollutants can be bioassimilated by the action of the algal turf, with particulates in the water being trapped by the algal turf, the purified water then returning to the waterway via said outlet end of said floway;
• means for shutting off the flow of water through said floway, so as to bring about a dewatering of the algal turf,
• and a wheeled harvester spanning said floway, with its wheels in contact with, and supported by, said curbs, such that said harvester may move along said floway;
• intake plenum means located on a lower portion of said harvester, which intake plenum means is supported in a closely spaced relationship to dewatered algal turf growing in said floway,
• said intake plenum means being connected to a source of vacuum, whereby mature algal turf can be harvested from the growing surface, as said harvester moves along said floway,
• and means for delivering harvested algal turf to a remote collection location.